Key cutting machine



Nov. 9, 1937.

5. A. McPHEE KEY CUTTING MACHINE Filed Jan. 27, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEY.

Nov. 9, 1937. s. A. McPHEE 2,098,728

KEY CUTTING MACHINE Filed Jan. 27; 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 nlluunlilllllwlll 1N VENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 9, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims.

This invention relates to a key cutting device, and has for its principal object the provision of a simple, compact, device which will accurately cut keys to any desired code setting or which will 5 quickly and accurately duplicate any available key.

Another object of the inven tion is to provide a machine of this character which will have universal application, that is, which can be quickly preset to the code of any desired key of any desired make or type. Key cutting machines have been designed upon which the code setting of a certain type of key can be set, but for a different type of key a different machine is required. In the present invention, an entirely new set of code setting devices can be brought into play to accommodate any desired type or make of key.

Other objects and advantages reside in the detail construction of the invention, which is designed for simplicity, economy, and efiiciency. These will become more apparent from the following description.

In the following detailed description of the invention reference is had to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof. like numerals refer to like parts in all views of the drawings and throughout the description.

In the drawings: 7 V

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the improved key cutting device.

Fig. 2 is a side view thereof in the closed or cutting position.

Fig. 3 is an end view looking toward what will be herein designated the code turret. v

Fig. 4 is a vertical section, taken on the line 4-4, Fig. 1.

Figs. 5 and 6 are detail views of the key clamps.

The invention employes a. base II] from which two key supporting standards II and I2 project upwardly. The key standard I l terminates at its top in a key clamp l5 operated by means of a thumb nut l6 for holding the key to be cut. The key second standard l2 supports a similar key clamp I'I operated by means of a similar thumb nut l8 for holding a master key or a key to be duplicated.

A hinged frame I3 is secured to the base ID by means of a suitable hinge pin l4. The hinged frame is formed with a slide groove in its top for receiving a slide bearing IS. The bearing I9 is held in place in the slide groove in the hinged frame l3 by means of suitable flange plates 20. The slide bearing l9 serves as a journal for a shaft 2 I, upon one extremity of which is a milling cutter 22 and on the other extremity is an operating crank 23. j

The slide bearing l9 can be moved longitudinally in its slide by means of a hand lever 24, which is pivoted at 25 to the hinged frame l3, and which is connected to the bearing l9 by means of a suitable attachment bolt 26. The bolt 26 passes through a slotted hole in the lever 24 to accommodate the arc of swing. A bracket 2'! projects from the side of the, bearing I9, and carries a master key follower plate 28.

The key clamps l5 and I! are illustrated in detail in Figs. 5 and 6, each consists of a lower plate 29 and an upper plate 35. The plates 29 and 30 are clamped together by means of the nuts l6 and I8 and are forced apart by means of suitable compression springs 3|. The lower plates 29 are milled to form two opposite depressions 32 for receiving the head of a key and are also milled to provide a supporting flange 33 for clamping the back of a key.

Hinged stop members '53 are provided which can be swung upwardly against the key in the key clamps l5 and I! by means of finger levers 54. These stops contact the shoulder of the key to place it in its proper longitudinal position in the key clamps. The stop members are then swung downwardly as shown at Fig. 1 so as to be out of the way of the milling cutter and follower 28.

A key to be duplicated is clamped in the clamp I! with its head restingin the depression 32, and with its back resting on the flange 33. The key blank to be cut is similarly clamped in the clamp IS. The exact positions of the keys are determined by the stop members 53. By moving the handle 24, the follower 28 can be caused to fol' low the notches in the key to be duplicated, while the crank 23 is rotated to cause the milling cutter 22 to cut and duplicate the notches in the key blank. In this way, any available key can be duplicated.

For making an original key from its code number when no key is available for duplication, code setting devices are provided. The code setting devices are mounted upon a rotary member or code turret 34 having a series of fiat faces around its periphery. Each of the fiat faces of the turret 34 is designed to carry a difierent code setting device. As illustrated, only one of the code setting devices is shown, similar devices for different makes or styles of keys can be carried on each of the fiat sides. i

The code turret is mounted upon a suitable stub shaft 40 projecting from the frame l0 and is held on this shaft by means of a clamp nut 4|.

A stud. 33 projects from the base I0 to engage in openings 39 of a series of openings which are formed in the turret 34. This stud acts as a lock to maintain any desired one of the code setting devices at the top position. Thus, by loosening the clamp nut, 4|, the turret can be drawn away from the stud 38 and rotated to a new position to place a different code setting device at the top of the turret.

The code setting devices each consist of a frame 35, attached to the turret member by means of suitable attachment screws 36. Suitable threaded holes 31 are provided in each of "carried by said shaft; means for rotating said the flat faces for the reception of the screws 36.

A series of cam discs 42 is mounted upon a shaft- 43 set in the frame 35. The cam discs are each formed with a series of surfaces 44 at different radii from the axis of the shaft 43. These sur-' I faces contact with slide members 45 so as to promembers 45 is concave for the reception of a' code follower '50 which is carried on the extremity of a bracket arm 5| projecting from the slide bearing IS. The periphery of each of the cam discs 42 is provided with a series of numbers 52 indicating the various surfaces 44 with which it is provided. 7

Let us assume that it is desired to out a key for a certain make of lock according to its code number. The code setting device corresponding to the make of the lock is turned uppermost on the turret 34 and locked in position by means of the clamp nut 4|. The cam discs 42 arethen rotated to align the numbers 52 in accordance with the code of the lock. The slide members 45 are then pushed back against the surfaces 44 of the aligned cam plates. This positions the forward extremities of the slide members in an irregular line corresponding to the contour of the key to be cut.

A key blank is now clamped in the key clamp l5, as indicated in broken line at A, Fig. 1. The follower 50 is then placed in the concavity of the first slide member, 45, and the handle 23 is rotated to cause the milling cutter to mill the key notchin accordance with projection of that slide member. This operation is then continued across all of the slide plates producing a key contour corresponding to the projection of the slide plates.

In order to prevent thefollower 50 from contacting with the code setting devices when duplicating the turret is turned to a half way position. Intermediate holes are provided in the turret for the reception of the stud at these intermediate positions.

While a specific form of the improvement has been described and illustrated herein, it is desired to be understood that the same may be varied, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired secured by Letters Patent "1. A key cutting device comprising a base plate; a standard extending upwardly from said base plate; a pair of key clamps fixedly supported by said standard above said base plate; a hinged frame hinged to said base plate; a slide bearing mounted in said bearing frame so that it may be moved therein parallel to said key clamps; a shaft journalled to said slide bearing; means for preventing endwise movement" of said shaft in said slide bearing so that movements of the latter will be transmitted to the former; a cutter shaft; a follower member projecting from said slide bearing, said follower being spaced from said cutter a distance corresponding to the distancebetween said key clamps; a handle pivoted to said hinged frame and connected to said slide bearing so that vertical movement thereof will swing said hinged frame toward or away from said key clamps'and horizontal movement thereof will move said, cutter and follower along said key clamps.

2. A key cutting device comprising a movably mounted cutter; a fixedly mounted key clamp; a follower mounted in fixed relation to said cutter to guide the movements of the latter; a series of slide members positioned so that their one extremity will be contacted by said follower; and means for projecting and holding said slide members in the path of said follower so that the former will guide the latter to control the movement of said cutter. v

3. A key cutting device comprising a movably mounted cutter; a fixedly mounted key clamp; a follower mounted in fixed relation to said cutter to guide the movements of the latter; a series of slide members positionedso that their one extremity. will be contacted by said follower; an

individual cam Wheel contacting the other extremity of each. slide member; and means for locking said cam wheels at predetermined positions so thatthey will hold said, slide members at-various predetermined'projections so as to contact said follower and guidethe movements 5 of said cutter both, as to depthand spacing of the various cuts. I

4. A key cutting device comprising a movably mounted cutter; a fixedly mounted key clamp;

a follower mounted in fixed relation to said cutter to guide the movements of the latter; a series of slide members positioned adjacently so that their extremities will be contacted by said follower; and a rotatable member supporting said series of slide members so that the latter may be turned out of the path of said follower when desired.

5. A code setting device for key cutting machines of the type having a master follower comprising: a shaft extending parallel to the line of movement of said follower; a series of discs carried by said shaft corresponding to the hum.- ber of key notchesdesired in a key; a series of slide members, there being one slide member for each of said discs contacting the periphery of the latter, said discs having an irregular contour so that when turned to given positions, they will project their slide members a given amount; and

means for holding said discs in certain preset positions. 7 3

. SETH A. MCPHEE. 

